Apparatus for communicating service lines to mains

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for connecting a service line to a main line while fluid is flowing through the main line. The apparatus includes a mandrel which holds a shaped charge. When the mandrel is brought into close proximity to the main line and detonated, the wall of the main line is perforated by the explosive action of the shaped charge to thereby establish flow communication between the main line and a valve means. This action enables a lateral, or service line to be connected to the valve means without disconnecting the flow of fluid through the main line.

United States Patent Marcus L; Bates 6904 N. Russell Ave., Odessa, Tex. 79760 930 Jan. 6, 1970 Oct. 12, 1971 Continuation of application Ser. No. 774,802, July 15, 1968, which is a division of application Ser. No. 620,738, Mar. 6, 1967, now Patent No. 3,396,745.

Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING SERVICE LINES TO MAINS 4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 137/15, 137/318, 29/213 Int. Cl F1611 51/00 Field of Search 137/67,15,

i561 Ileferences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,038,484 6 1962 Smith 137 15 3,072,138 1/1963 FabianetaL. 137 318 3,104,456 9 1963 Powell... 29 157 3,396,745 8/1968 Bates.........,. 137/317 3,503,407 3 1970 VerNooy 137 15 Primary Examiner-M. Cary Nelson Assistant Examiner-David R. Matthews Attorney-Hyer, Eickenroht, Thompson & Turner ABSTRACT: An apparatus for connecting a service line to a main line while fluid is flowing through the main line. The apparatus includes a mandrel which holds a shaped charge. When the mandrel is brought into close proximity to the main line and detonated, the wall of the main line is perforated by the explosive action of the shaped charge to thereby establish flow communication between the main line and a valve means. This action enables a lateral, or service line to be connected to the valve means without disconnecting the flow of fluid through the main line.

PATENTED um I 2 I97l ll I-v INVEN'I'OR.

MARCUS L. BATES APPARATUS FOR COMMUNKCATING SERVHCE LINES T MAINS This application is a continuation of my copending application, Ser. No. 774,802, filed July 15, 1968, and entitled Apparatus For Communicating Service Lines To Mains, which was a division of my application, Ser. No. 620,738, filed Mar. 6, 1967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,745.

Various prior art methods and apparatus for connecting a lateral service line to a flowing main line are known in the art. These prior art methods and devices usually involve the necessity of drilling a hole into the main by utilizing a clever valve arrangement that cooperates with a drilling machine in a manner to permit the drilling machine to perforate the main flowing line, after which the drilling machine along with the drill is removed, the valve closed, and the apparatus disassembled from the downstream side whereupon the service line connection may then be completed. Other prior art devices enable one to tap a flowing main by driving a penetrating barrel into the main under the influence of an explosive charge. While both these expedients satisfactorily perform their intended objects, they are expensive, require skilled technicians, and furthermore often lead to disastrous results, including abandonment of the tap-in equipment, when the tap-in is not performed in the proper manner.

The present invention enables a service line connection to be made to high pressure flowing gas mains, water mains, and the like, without service interruption to existing service line connections.

It should be understood that the term mains" as used herein relates to any fluid conveying conduit and the term service line" as used herein relates to any lateral or branch fluid conveying conduit that may be connected to such a main.

It is often desirable, especially in a water transmission main or a high pressure gas main line, to tap into the main line so as to provide a new source of fluid flow at a particular point along the transmission line. In order to effect the desired establishment of a new service line connection, it is best to wait until the main line is not in use so as to enable workmen to attach the service line to the main at any desirable point, and in a conventional manner. in certain high pressure fluid flowing conduits, it is often impossible to discontinue the flow of fluid for economic reasons. Accordingly, it is desirable to be able to connect a service line to a fluid carrying main line without having to discontinue fluid flow through the main line. It is further desirable to be able to effect the connection of a service line to a main line in an economical, simple, and foolproof manner.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a means for establishing a service line connection which requires connecting a lateral conduit to the main conduit, establishing communication between the main and the lateral, while at the same time preventing the escape of fluid from the main by the provision of a means for isolating the portion of the lateral that is being worked on from the atmosphere.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a means by which a service connection may be directly connected to a flowing main by utilizing the apparatus. set forth herein.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a barrel and a mandrel that are adapted to cooperate with a valve and nipple that have previously been rigidly attached to a main to thereby enable the utilization of a shaped charge to penetrate the main to thereby establish communication between the main and the valve.

Another object of this invention is the provision an apparatus that is adapted to perforate a flowing main to thereby establish communication to a lateral in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a simple and economical means of establishing communication between a main flowing line and a lateral service line connected thereto.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a valve means having a shaped charge associated therewith that penetrates a metallic wall in a manner to provide communication between the valve means and the opposite side of the metallic wall.

The above advantages, desires, and objects of the present invention are carried out by the provision of a shaped charge carrying device that cooperates with a valve member in a manner that enables the shaped charge to explosively communicate the interior of the main with the valve.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used throughout to designate like parts:

FIG. 1 is an elevation generally illustrating the completed installation that is effected by the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional exploded view showing the details of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing part of the invention in its operative position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a modification of the device seen in FIGS. 1 through 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of still another form of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of still another modification of the present invention; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

The arrow at numeral 10 illustrates the completed connection between a main and service line and includes a main flow line 12, having a fluid flowing therethrough, about which there has been welded a reinforcing saddle 14. The saddle 14 is welded to the main flow line 12 as well as to a nipple 16. A gate type valve 18, which may be in several different forms, is welded to the nipple l6, and a second nipple 20 is provided in opposite relationship to the valve 18 with respect to the first nipple 16. The valve 18 and nipples l6 and 20 may be either prefabricated or constructed as a unitary device, if desired. Upon establishment of communication between nipple l6 and the main 12, a service pipe or service line 22, also called a lateral, is provided with fluid flow from the main l2. Accordingly, while it is preferred to weld the various permanent components to the lateral service conduit together in the illustrated manner exemplified by numerals 23, 24, and 25, it should be understood that other known means of connecting metal objects together may alternatively be used if deemed desirable.

The gate valve 18 includes a valve element 26 which may be i moved from the opened position of FIG. 2 to a closed position in the conventional manner as is known to those skilled in the art.

A heavy duty barrel 30, having threads 33 thereon, cooperates with the threads 32 of the before mentioned nipple 20 to enable the barrel to be removably attached to the remaining components of the device. The inside peripheral wall 34 is polished except for the area having the threaded depending end at 36.

A mandrel 40 is received in close tolerance relationship within the barrel, and is provided with threads 42 about the outside peripheral surface thereof that threadedly cooperates with the before mentioned threads 36 of the barrel to thereby enable the mandrel to be screw-fitted into the barrel. O-rings 44 are received in the illustrated grooved recesses to assure a fluid tight, high pressure seal between the outside peripheral wall of the mandrel and the inside peripheral wall 34 of the barrel 30.

Opposite the threaded end 42 of the mandrel, there is provided a counterbore 48 that is adapted to receive a conventional shaped charge in tight fitting relationship therein. A threaded aperture 41 is optionally provided to receive a threaded screw for the purpose of holding the shaped charge rigidly affixed within the counterbore 48.

A passageway 50 communicates the counterbore 48 with the outlet 51 to thereby provide a passageway through which a pair of electrical conductors may be sealingly passed. A high pressure seal is provided that is comprised of a threaded passageway 52 which receives a resilient disk 54, and a threaded plug 56 that threadedly engages the threaded passageway 52 to thereby press the disk 54 against the wires within the passageway 51.

A conventional shaped charge 60 having a detonator 62 associated therewith is received within the before mentioned counterbore 48. The detonator 62 includes electrical conductors 63 that may be threaded through the before mentioned passageway 50, to an external source of electrical current.

The length of threads 42 with respect to threads 36 are of a configuration to enable the mandrel 40 to be positioned adjacent the main 12 in the illustrated manner of FIG. 3, as well as to enable the mandrel 48 to be withdrawn by screwing the mandrel from the barrel to thereby enable the charge carrying free end of the mandrel to be threadedly withdrawn in an outward direction past the valve element 26 of gate valve 18, while still remaining threadedly engaged with threads 36 a sufficient amount to preclude the mandrel 40 from being separated from the barrel 30. Unless these necessary precautions are taken, one could end up in the embarrassing situation wherein the charge carrying portion of the mandrel would not clear valve 26, and accordingly the mandrel would not permit the valve 26 to close. This unfortunate situation would result in the necessity of leaving the entire assembled device in the above described condition, once the main is perforated, and without effecting or completing the connection of FIG. 1.

Looking now to the details of the embodiment illustrated by the drawings in FIG. 4, wherein there is disclosed a main 112 having a saddle 114 reinforcedly connecting a gate valve 118 thereto by means of the illustrated nipple. On the opposite side of the gate valve, there is provided a flow line 120 rigidly attached thereto. The recited components may be welded as illustrated at numeral 123, 124i, and 125. The gate valve 118 includes a sliding valve element 126 which may be moved from the illustrated closed position to an opened position. The nipple 116 slidably receives a perforating device that is comprised of a barrel 130 having a base 132 integrally formed therewith and within which there is slidably received a coiled spring 134. Reciprocatingly received within the barrel 130 is a charge carrying mandrel 136 having a counterbore 160 suitably formed to receive a shaped charge in close fitting tolerance therewithin. The charge carrying mandrel includes a lateral passageway that receives a detonator 162. The nipple 116 is provided with a sealed plug 156 through which there depends electrical wires 163 for the purpose of exploding detonator 162 when a suitable current is applied thereto.

Looking now to the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein there is seen a nipple 216 that interconnects a valve body 218 to a main flow line (not shown) and a lateral service main 220. The ball valve assembly 218 is preferably welded as illustrated at 223 and 225 and includes a rotatable ball element 226 having a passageway 265 therethrough that enlarges into a configuration at 260 that is contoured in a manner to receive a shaped charge in close tolerance fitting relationship therewith. The ball element 226 may also be called a mandrel, and the valve housing a barrel. The shaped charge is provided with a detonator having electrical lead wires 263 threaded through the passageway 265. The passageway 265 is of a sufficient size to permit fluid flow of a suitable magnitude. The ball element 226 is rotatable 360 about an upstanding vertical axis, as is known in the art.

Looking now to the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 6 and 7 wherein there is illustrated a main flow line 214 to which there is welded a barrel member 280 that threadedly engages a second member 281 by means of the threads illustrated at 282. The mandrel member 281 is provided with a drilled passageway 283 that communicates with a multiplicity of radial passageways 284. The radial passageways 284, when rotated into the position as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, are aligned with longitudinally extending grooves 285 that communicate with, or enlarge into, the larger annular chamber surrounding the charge carrying portion 286 of the member.

O-rings 287 are provided in the illustrated groove in a manner to be compressed when the member 281 is screwed into tight fitting relationship by closing the gap seen at 288. The member 281 includes an enlarged threaded portion 289 to which a lateral service line may be attached.

The operation of the embodiment of FIG. 2 is practiced in accordance with the teachings of the present invention by attaching the nipple 16 to the main flow line 12 by the illustrated welding at 23. A saddle l4 additionally is welded to the nipple 16 as illustrated at 24. A second nipple 20 is welded to the gate valve as illustrated at 25. The valve element 26 may be moved from a closed to the illustrated opened position, and the barrel 30 is securely threaded onto the nipple 20 in the illustrated manner of FIG. 2. A conventional shaped charge 60, including a detonator 62, is placed within the mandrel 40 with the lead wires 63 extending through passageway 50, and with the free ends of the lead wires extending a substantial distance away from the outlet 51. The shaped charge 60 may be secured within the counterbore 48 by the provision of a screw placed in the threaded passageway 41, if desired. The inside peripheral surface of the barrel is properly lubricated and the mandrel 40 is slidably fitted thereinto with the threads 42 en gaging the threads 36 whereupon the mandrel is screwed into the barrel 30 until the shaped charge 60 is adjacent the outside peripheral surface of the main line 12. Care must be taken that a suitable number of threads 42 are mated with the threads 36. A suitable current source is applied to the depending free ends of electrical conductors 63, whereupon the explosion of the shaped charge 60 perforates the main flow line 12, with the area of the perforation being dependent upon the design features of the shaped charge 60. It is considered within the comprehension of those skilled in the art to select a shaped charge 60 having suitable characteristics to perforate the main flow line 12 an amount to provide a suitable connection thereto, while at the same time avoiding damage to the opposite inside peripheral wall surface of the main line.

After perforating the main line 12, the mandrel 40 is unscrewed from the barrel 30 a predetermined amount to permit the free end, or charge carrying portion of the mandrel 40, to clear the valve element 26, whereupon the valve element 26 is moved to the closed position. Care must be taken that ample threads at this stage of the operation are provided between the threaded surfaces 36 and 42 to assure retention of the mandrel within the barrel 30 when this position is attained. Since valve 26 is now closed, the barrel 30 may be unscrewed at 32, 33, thereby removing both the barrel 30 along with the enclosed mandrel 40 from the assembly. The service flow line 22 is next attached by screwing the flow line into the threads at 32, after which the valve 18 may be moved to the Opened position, whereupon flow is now provided to the service line 22. The barrel 30 and mandrel 40 are suitable for future use by merely replacing the shaped charge 60.

In practicing the invention with the device illustrated in FIG. 4, a nipple and saddle arrangement 114 is rigidly affixed to the main flow line 112 along with a valve 118 and a nipple 120, as previously discussed in conjunction with the illustrations of FIGS. 1 and 2. The valve element 126 is moved to the opened position, and the charge carrying device inserted into the lateral service line nipple where it is held compressed between the unperforated outer peripheral wall surface of main line 112 and the valve element 126, when the valve element is moved to the closed position. After the shaped charge holding device is positioned as illustrated in FIG. 4, the device may be armed by placing the detonator 162 therein with the lead wires 163 extending through the sealed plug 156. A suitable current source applied to lead wires 163 explodes detonator 162 that in turn tires the shaped charge 160 to perforate the main 112. After the 112 118. The service line can then be tied in by again closing the valve 118 to thereby the entire shaped charge holding device may be suitably removed by placing a cap over the threaded free end of the nipple (not shown), opening the valve 118, whereupon the shaped charge will fall into the nipple 120 (assuming the device to be vertically depending below the main line 112).

Where the nipple is horizontal, the entire shaped charge containing device may be blown from the nipple by opening the valve 118. The service line can then be tied in by again closing the valve 118 to thereby permit suitable connections to be made to the pipe 120, whereupon the valve 118 can again be moved to the opened position to establish flow.

ln carrying out the invention in accordance with the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7, the barrel 280 and mandrel 281 remain attached to the flow line 214 so as to become a component part of the service line. The barrel 280 is suitably welded to the main line 214, and a mandrel 281 containing a shaped charge within the counterbore 286 is then screw fitted by means of screw threads 282 into the device as illustrated in FIG. 6. The mandrel 281 is tightened against O-ring 287 until the annular groove at 288 is substantially contained within the annulus provided for the O-ring 287 with the radially extending passageways 284 being misaligned with the longitudinally extending slots 285. The barrel 280 and mandrel 281 may be properly indexed upon the outer peripheral surface thereof so as to indicate the relative position of passageways 284 with respect to slots 285. The detonator that explodes the shaped charge may be brought through the side as illustrated, or alternatively may be extended through passageway 283, in a manner similar to passageway 265 of FIG. 5. Upon detonation, the annular area 276 will be filled with the pressure existent within flow line 214. However, this pressure will not flow into the passageway 283 since radially extending slots 284 are misaligned with slots 285. Accordingly, the service line may be connected to the mandrel 281 by means of screw threads 289, and thereafter the mandrel 281 can be rotated with respect to barrel 280, whereupon radial extending passageways 284 are aligned with slots 285 to thereby provide a source of flow from pipe 214 into the annulus 276, through slots 285, along the radial extending passageways 284, and into the laterally extending central passageway 283 to where the flow then joins into the service pipe connected at 289.

Accordingly, while 1 have shown and described several specific embodiments of my invention, the means by which the present method can be practiced is not to be construed as being limited to the foregoing disclosure, but rather is to be considered only in the light of the appended claims. Therefore, what 1 deem to be the metes and'bounds of my intellectual property is set forth in the following claims.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A method of communicating a service pipe with a main line comprising the steps of:

l. attaching a valve to the outer wall surface of the main line to form a lateral service pipe connection, wherein the interior of the valve is disposed in communication with a portion of the outer wall surface of the main line;

2. positioning a shaped charge adjacent the outer wall surface of the main line which is in communication with the valve;

3. securing the valve to prevent fluid flow therethrough;

4. detonating the shaped charge to thereby penetrate part of the wall surface of the main line which is in communication with the valve, and to permit the interior of the main line to communicate with the valve;

5. connecting a service pipe to the valve to thereby flow communicate the service pipe with the main line when the valve is in the flow pennitting configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, and further including the following additional steps:

1. mounting the shaped charge upon a mandrel prior to the positioning of the previous step (2);

2. sealing the mandrel to the valve in order to carry out step 3. removing the mandrel and spent shaped charge after carrying out step (4).

3. A method of communicating a service pipe with a main line comprising the steps of:

l. attaching a housing having an opening therein to the outer wall surface of the main line todispose the interior of the houslng ll'l communication with a portion of the outer wall surface of the main line;

2. passing a shaped charge through the housing opening and positioning it adjacent said portion of the outer wall surface of the main line which is in communication with the housing;

3. disposing a closure member across the housing opening to enclose the housing and charge in fluid tight relation; and

4. detonating the shaped charge to thereby penetrate said portion of the wall surface of the main line which is in communication with the housing, and to permit the interior of the main line to communicate with the housing;

so that a service pipe may be connected to the housing to thereby flow communicate the service pipe with the main line.

4. The method of claim 3, and further including the following additional steps of:

l. mounting the shaped charge upon a mandrel prior to the positioning thereof;

2. mounting the mandrel on the housing for sealed reciprocation thereon in order to move the charge into position on said portion of the outer wall of the main pipe prior to detonation of said charge; and

3. removing the mandrel to a position out of the flowpath between the perforation and connection to the flowline upon detonation of said charge. 

2. positioning a shaped charge adjacent the outer wall surface of the main line which is in communication with the valve;
 2. The method of claim 1, and further including the following additional steps:
 2. sealing the mandrel to the valve in order to carry out step (3);
 2. passing a shaped charge through the housing opening and positioning it adjacent said portion of the outer wall surface of the main line which is in communication with the housing;
 2. mounting the mandrel on the housing for sealed reciprocation thereon in order to move the charge into position on said portion of the outer wall of the main pipe prior to detonation of said charge; and
 3. removing the mandrel to a position out of the flowpath between the perforation and connection to the flowline upon detonation of said charge.
 3. disposing a closure member across the housing opening to enclose the housing and charge in fluid tight relation; and
 3. removing the mandrel and spent shaped charge after carrying out step (4).
 3. A method of communicating a service pipe with a main line comprising the steps of:
 3. securing the valve to prevent fluid flow therethrough;
 4. detonating the shaped charge to thereby penetrate part of the wall surface of the main line which is in communication with the valve, and to permit the interior of the main line to communicate with the valve;
 4. detonating the shaped charge to thereby penetrate said portion of the wall surface of the main line which is in communication with the housing, and to permit the interior of the main line to communicate with the housing; so that a service pipe may be connected to the housing to thereby flow communicate the service pipe with the main line.
 4. The method of claim 3, and further including the following additional steps of:
 5. connecting a service pipe to the valve to thereby flow communicate the service pipe with the main line when the valve is in the flow permitting configuration. 